2019 Fantasy Baseball: August Redraft– Shortstops

As we approach mid August we come to the end of the regular season for fantasy baseball players. The playoffs start in less than a month and in less than three weeks in some leagues. Some are celebrating great seasons while others are just playing out the string. Most will put the blame in large part on draft night. Certainly, draft day decisions play a large role in the success of a team, but the biggest key to success is how you play the waiver wire. We are profiling the Yahoo preseason top twelve players at each position. Notice how many of the preseason top 12 are no longer in the top 12. Of course, there are still about seven weeks of season left. These things could change, but it might be too little too late for some folks.

The players listed here are players that are primarily shortstops. There are numerous players that are eligible at multiple positions and shortstop is no different. However, many of these players are primarily third baseman, second baseman, or even outfielders. They will be profiled at their most dominant position. We are including walks as a sixth categoru here to encompass their rank in six category leagues. Rankings and numbers are accurate through Monday night’s action.

Trea Turner–Washington Nationals

Preseason: 1

Current: 11

Numbers: .290/11/57/33/25/30

This isn’t to demean Turner. If he had played a full slate of games he would likely be on his way to 40 stolen bases. Maybe he would have as many as 15 home runs. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but there are so many great players at this spot that having him as the preseason number one shortstop doesn’t make much sense in retrospect. He did lead the NL in steals last year and people can be a slave to categories, but we should have known better.

Trevor Story–Colorado Rockies

Preseason: 2

Current: 2

Numbers: .286/27/86/67/16/39

Is Story really the second best shortstop on the board? Well, he has better power numbers than anyone at the position when you throw in run production and he adds enough speed to be an all around player. Some will point to Xander Bogaerts while others will point the finger at Fernando Tatis. Jr or even Francisco Lindor. Story may not have their top end talent, but numbers don’t lie. He’s been putting them up for several years now.

Javier Baez– Chicago Cubs

Preseason: 3

Current: 3

Numbers: .289/28/82/80/9/22

In five category leagues you could make the argument that Baez should leapfrog Story. The lack of patience at the plate is his one Achilles heel. Sometimes you have to overlook holes when they come in a package as enticing as Baez. There are some that thought that he was the NL MVP last season. He certainly isn’t taking that from Yelich and Bellinger this season, but he could still finish in the top five.

Francisco Lindor–Cleveland Indians

Preseason: 4

Current: 6

Numbers: .300/20/67/48/18/36

These numbers aren’t half bad for someone that missed most of the first month of the season. If he prorated those numbers over the course of a six month season he might get into the top three. The key for Lindor is the fact that he does everything you want. There are others that do every individual skill better, but no one has been as consistent the past several seasons.

Carlos Correa–Houston Astros

Preseason: 5

Current: 20

Numbers: .297/17/36/53/1/27

If we are to believe Correa, he broke his rib when a massage therapist was a little too rough. Let’s just pretend that’s true. Correa has had exactly one season where he has played in more than 150 games. So, putting him in the top five to begin with was a leap of faith. All that being said, he has been one of the top five shortstops when he has been on the field. Unfortunately, attendance is part of the grade.

Xander Bogaerts–Boston Red Sox

Preseason: 6

Current: 1

Numbers: .304/25/91/88/4/59

When you are number one in runs and RBI you tend to also be number one at the position. This is particularly true whe n you add in the 59 walks and .304 batting average. The only thing he doesn’t do is steal bases. This is the second strong season in a row, so maybe sixth was a bit too low in retrospect. Considering how loaded the Red Sox are offensively, you’d have to know that someone would bust out.

Adalberto Mondesi–Kansas City Royals

Preseason: 7

Current: 12

Numbers: .266/7/48/52/31/16

When young players come up and produce at the end of the season, you can’t just simply extrapolate those numbers over a full season and call it good. Players often take a step back before the step forward. They also have to prove they are capable of handling the rigors of a full season. Mondesi has done both. He’s still a good, young player and has the speed to be a very good fantasy asset. The good news is that most young players like him will grow a little from here.

Corey Seager–Los Angeles Dodgers

Preseason: 8

Current: 19

Numbers: .265/9/58/47/1/37

He is one spot better than Correa even though Correa has the better power numbers and batting average. Both have missed a considerable amount of time and it killed their value. He has seven weeks to right the ship. He has an outside chance of reaching 80 runs and 75 RBI. That’s pretty good for a guy that missed over a month.

Jean Segura–Philadelphia Phillies

Preseason: 9

Current: 16

Numbers: .281/11/62/48/7/25

They say speed is the first thing to go. I can’t remember the second. It’s not like Segura has become a lumbering slugger overnight. He still goes first to third and second to home with relative ease. He just isn’t much of a basestealer anymore. When you take that away he becomes a pretty mediocre shortstop. There’s nothing wrong with that, but you shouldn’t spend a lot of draft capital on that.

Tim Anderson–Chicago White Sox

Preseason: 10

Current: 15

Numbers: .324/12/47/39/16/8

If Anderson makes it into the Hall of Fame, I’m not sure how he will get to the podium because he sure won’t walk. Seriously though, we could argue that he has taken a step forward this season. He has also been on the shelf for a good part of the season. He does have impressive power and speed, so if he can put that together for a full season he could be quite a good fantasy player. However, it is hard to imagine someone with such little patience sustaining that kind of an average.

Jose Peraza–Cincinnati Reds

Preseason: 11

Current: 31

Numbers: .242/6/31/32/5/11

You might be one of those people wondering how in the heck he got in the top twelve. He hit 14 home runs and stole 21 bases last season. That’s not elite, but there aren’t many shortstops that can produce more than ten home runs and 20 stolen bases. Well, he hasn’t done either this season.

Elvis Andrus–Texas Rangers

Preseason: 12

Current: 8

Numbers: .282/9/57/55/23/24

Andrus has aged a lot better than most other speed threats over the years. He has been around for a decade, but he is still a lot younger than a lot of people think. Still, players in their late twenties and early thirties don’t often steal more than 20 bases. The power he displayed in 2017 hasn’t returned and as long as it doesn’t he will never be an elite shortstop, but he always be good.